


The One in Which They Fight a Centaur

by sexyvanillatiger



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Fire, Gen, Self-ignition, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-13
Updated: 2014-06-13
Packaged: 2018-02-04 13:41:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 698
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1781116
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sexyvanillatiger/pseuds/sexyvanillatiger
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In an attempt to save Beacon Hills from a rampaging centaur, Stiles employs an unorthodox method of centaur extermination.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The One in Which They Fight a Centaur

"What do you _mean_ it won't light!" Derek barks, hauling himself to his feet, and lunging forward for the enraged centaur. "[Everywhere we go, things catch fire. Even the air.](http://outofcontextdnd.tumblr.com/post/85449141298/everywhere-we-go-things-catch-fire-even-the)"

Stiles scoffs. "That was _one time_." He assesses the situation: Scott on the ground, not moving but breathing. Allison crouched in front of him, firing from a crossbow; Isaac beside him. Closer to the tree line is Lydia, Kira brandishing a sword beside her. Stiles' fingers tremble, thrumming with power beneath the skin, bones humming as though the fire should just appear before him but it just _won't_. "I just," he starts, stopping immediately with his mouth gaping and his hands waving in the air in front of him, "I just can't get it to take. Like, I need…I don't know, I need to get closer—"

" _No_ ," Derek shouts, leaping and swiping a gash into the centaur's flank. It knocks him back with a wayward kick. He struggles to his knees, waving his arm at Stiles to stay back. "Don't you _dare_ go near it, Stiles, you hear me?"

Stiles groans with frustration, running his hands through his hair. Scott is starting to rouse, but he's not standing. Allison reloads her crossbow and it just—it sort of just comes to him. He lunges into a graceless run and has to drop to his knees to stop before colliding into her. "Allison, give me your crossbow."

The look she gives him is downright hateful. "[If you put a crossbow bolt in your mouth and say it's a metaphor, I'll kill you.](http://outofcontextdnd.tumblr.com/post/85474571716/if-you-put-a-crossbow-bolt-in-your-mouth-and-say-its)"

" _Really_? You have that little faith in me? To think that I'd be making jokes _now_?" Stiles pulls it from her limp grasp, overpowering her one short struggle, and looks down at it. "Show me how to fire it, now."

Instead, the centaur is scooping him up like a doll. His grip on the crossbow dies, and he drops it, but not before lighting the tip of the bolt. It hits the ground and sizzles, but doesn't go out, the purple edge of the flame encircling the head dutifully. Looking back, he can see Isaac setting Allison and Scott to the ground, yards away from where they were.

He turns his attention back to the beast before him and takes a deep breath. Derek is watching off to the side, eyes wide, shocked, looking dumb with his hands up as though he can placate the thing into putting Stiles down.

And then, in the same way that all of Stiles' ideas have come to him tonight, this one materializes out of his desperation to save the day. He waves his hand at Derek and shrieks, "The crossbow! Get the crossbow!"

When Derek moves, the centaur backs away, wielding Stiles forth. Still, Derek gets the crossbow, holding the flame out, away from him. Stiles looks wildly between him and the beast. "[Okay, now set _me_ on fire!](http://outofcontextdnd.tumblr.com/post/81314206444/ok-now-set-me-on-fire-the-cow-smuggler-said)"

Derek stops. Stiles turns to stare at him expectantly, eyes trained on Derek despite the instability that comes from being held by an enraged monster. He's about to repeat himself when Derek squawks out a distressed " _No!_ "

Stiles rolls his eyes and shouts out his frustration. Pounds his fists down onto the centaur's thumb. "Derek! Fire the stupid thing! Hit _me_!" He fixes Derek with the hardest stare he knows how to give and puts his arm out, demanding action. While Derek struggles to even take aim towards Stiles, Allison sprints her way into the fray, grabbing the weapon out of Derek's weak hands, and firing right at Stiles.

It feels like warm water. He catches it by its shaft and his arms go up in flame. Warmth. Puts the arrow into the centaur's wrist, pounds his fists down onto the beast's hand and while it goes up in smoke it drops him. He loses his breath, but Derek is there to pull him out from under the beast's stamping hooves. When they reach safety, he sees Scott sitting up, healing, head rested on Kira's shoulder. Lydia sits down beside him. Derek stands, watching the thing burn. _Shaken_. From where Stiles sits, he can feel the heat of the ashes.

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the 2014 Mating Games Teen Wolf Pornathon. Bonus Challenge 3: The Out of Context D&D Quotes Challenge.


End file.
